It is known in the art to provide envelope flap separating and moistening apparatus for use in postage metering systems, wherein the apparatus comprises three integrally cooperative parts. For example, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,859,955 issued Jan. 14, 1975 to Labore and assigned to the assignee of the present invention, there is disclosed moistening apparatus which includes a plastic molded flap separator, a moistening pad and a plastic molded retainer for holding the moistening pad; wherein the flap separator and pad retainer are cooperatively configured for engaging and disengaging each from the other, and the retainer is configured to receive and grip the pad and to permit its slidable removal from the retainer.
In the aforesaid moistening apparatus the pad retainer includes a system of flexible protrusions or spikes, two of which snap into holes in the flap separating member for engagement of the separating member, and three of which hookably engage the moistening pad when the pad is inserted into the retainer. For cleaning purposes, the moistening apparatus is initially disassembled by removing the pad retainer from the separating member. To do so, a pointed instrument such as a pencil must be inserted into the holes of the separating member for depressing and thereby releasing the retainer spikes from engagement with the separating member. Usually, the pad cannot be throughly cleaned unless it is removed from the retainer, and, the only way to do so without shredding or otherwise damaging the pad is to carefully, slidably disengage the pad from the retainer. If the pad is otherwise removed, the retainer spikes associated with the pad tend to dig into rather than release the pad, as a consequence of which further attempted removal damages the pad to the extent that it must be replaced.
With the aforesaid arrangement of moistening apparatus, although customers may be instructed in the proper procedure for disassembly for cleaning purposes, they tend to either avoid doing so, or improperly do so, as a result of which numerous service calls are made.
In addition to the foregoing it has been found that liquid applicators such as the urethane pad used in the aforesaid apparatus have a relatively short service life as compared to brushes. And, due to the need to provide the retainers with spikes, different injection molds must be provided to accommodate different sizes of retainers. Accordingly:
An object of the invention is to provide customer serviceable flap moistening apparatus;
Another object is to provide flap moistening apparatus including a retainer which is both mountable on, and demountable from, a flap separator without the use of tools;
Another object is to provide moistening apparatus including a liquid applicator which is attachable to, and detachable from, the aforesaid retainer without damaging the applicator or retainer; and
Another object is to provide flap moistening apparatus which may be mass produced for different applications requiring differently dimensioned moistening apparatus without the need for providing different mold sizes.